Why Joe Mazzulla of the Celtics Prefers “Lessons” Learned to Declarative Victories

Following the Boston Celtics’ 143-110 thumping of the Miami Heat on Thursday night, head coach Joe Mazzulla has made it apparent that his squad must remain focused and not become complacent.

Mazzulla told reporters after the game, “This game is really good,” as shown on NBC Sports Boston’s postgame coverage. “But if we don’t learn the necessary lessons and apply them to the next game, it really doesn’t matter in the big picture.”

Not only did the Celtics thrash their opponents in the Eastern Conference, but they also gave the Heat their fifth consecutive defeat. A challenge Erik Spoelstra, the head coach of Miami, accepted.

In his postgame news conference, Spoelstra stated, “We faced a very potent offensive team that’s been doing this for several months now.”

“There’s no denying that the evening was humble. You do have to recognize the body of work they’ve done so far this season because they put us in our place tonight. With that record, they are the best team in the league and they are effective on both sides of the court.

The Celtics are the best team in the league right now at 35-10, but Mazzulla thinks a team is only as good as its next game.

“Take pleasure in it up until we board the aircraft, and then move on to the next one,” he stated. “In the long run, I believe the lessons learned here are more significant. Regardless of the outcome of our game here in Miami, the important thing is to recognize our strengths and the areas where we truly improved and work to maintain them.

Mazzulla has insisted that although they may be winning in the regular season, they have not yet won when it counts, even though Thursday’s game served as a reminder that Boston is the team to beat.

The three-game road trip sweep was completed with the victory in Miami. The first game of a seven-game homestand between Boston and the Los Angeles Clippers will take place at TD Garden on Saturday. With only one loss in 21 games, the C’s have dominated on home floor.